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Ken Peterson is plenty busy as a husband, father to an 11-month-old, and the public relations manager of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. But despite his hectic schedule, the newfound fitness buff feels he can't be derailed from his health and fitness fast track.

Weight Loss Advice

Give yourself one day a week to have what you want. Then you won't feel deprived.

How can he be so sure that he'll succeed in a fitness plan when many others have failed? It has to do with the sacrifices Peterson is not making. "I am not denying myself anything," says Peterson. "I have my eyes firmly on a positive goal."

His specific regimen happens to be the Body for Life program, the brainchild of fitness guru Bill Phillips. The diet, exercise and motivation plan helped him lower his cholesterol 59 points, lose 10 pounds and increase his strength and energy.

What makes this program different from so many others is that it doesn't present you with a long list of things you can't do.

Phillips' program is based on the notion that setting positive goals, rather than relying on deprivation, will help to strip you of bad habits that are incompatible with your goals. Of course, some desire to achieve the goal is necessary.

So, Peterson didn't deny himself treats during the holidays. He traveled and went to plenty of parties. But because his strength, endurance and weight loss goals are framed positively, Peterson says he will have no trouble refocusing on his fitness resolutions.

While Phillips " Body for Life program" outlined in his book by the same name describes positive goal setting with regard to fitness, his principles can be applied to any goal. Try his self-help approach:

Review what you are doing the first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Phillips also advises focusing on progress, not perfection, which is why meticulous record keeping is so important.

To further instill the no-deprivation idea, Phillips says Sunday is a free day during which you can eat whatever you want. "With the free day, it's not denial; it's deferral," explains Phillips. "If I am tempted by this plate of French fries on Tuesday, I can say, 'it can wait.' When Sunday rolls around, I may or may not want them, or I may want something else."

Positive goals don't eliminate temptation, admits Phillips. But what they give you is the confidence to do whatever it takes to reach your goal.